Merchants: Stop Spamming

[Paul Hexem]

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Ela Talaj wrote:

So far I had under ten complains about "spam" and whoever complains gets removed from the list, no questions asked.

 

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Yeah, but how many don't tell you when they mute you?

[Luc Starsider]

@Random. That sounds like a good product, and what I would call an acceptable way of doing it.

@Ela. That way of doing things is excactly what would make me mute whatever list or object that sent the messages - like Gadget points out - and make me go to length to find an alternative place to spend my money.

- Luc -

[iCade]

@Ela : As a costumer I buy A LOT of products from many different merchants. Does that mean I want to know what they have in the future without being asked? NO. If every store I ever shopped at would do that I'd get hundreds of notices per day!
If I am interested I will come back there and I can safely say that those repeat costumers come back for your products, not because of your notices.

If I were to buy one of your products and would suddnely get notices I did -not- ask for nor was I asked to receive them I would mute you, too. It's rude. Presumptious and just wrong. You are no different in that moment than those annoying telemarketers calling you!

Imagine that every shop you ever bought something at suddenly sent you newsletters about upcoming releases, may it be the grocery store around the corner or the large store down the street. Would you like that? You'd be annoyed and throw the spam into the trash can.

Yes, ignoring it takes just one click but you are entirely missing the point here. You are -forcing- your advertisment on costumers without giving them a chance to opt out. You didn't ask but rudely presumed they'd be fine. That is not good business practise. At all.

 

If you actually care about your costumers and don't just see them as walking Linden Dollar Signs then ASK them if they want the spam.

[Ela Talaj]

Imagine that every shop you ever bought something at suddenly sent you newsletters about upcoming releases, may it be the grocery store around the corner or the large store down the street.

In fact they do. They put it in my mailbox (physical) and they put it in my newspaper. Dozens of pages, every week, all grocery chains and all large stores that are around. I guess if it didn't increase sales they wouldn't be doing it, costs them a lot prolly.

[iCade]

In germany they don't as a matter of fact.
Do you like the spam though? Does it excited you? Do you actually read it?

From the way you're writing you don't seem enthused about it, yet you expect your costumers to be? You should never force any spam on your costumers; if you truly care about them, ask them, let THEM decide what they want. Don't take the choice away, you're not their mom who can decide what's best for them.